Guides of London

05/08/2026

Fleet Street was once the heart of Britain’s newspaper industry, but it also tells the fascinating story of two rival queens. Outside St Dunstan in the West stands a rare statue of Queen Elizabeth I—believed to be the oldest public statue in the City of London and the only surviving one created during her lifetime. Just along the street is Mary Queen of Scots House, a reminder of Elizabeth’s ill-fated cousin. Although they never met, their lives were deeply intertwined by politics, religion, and the struggle for the English throne. Today, their statues stand just a short walk apart—closer than the two queens ever were.

Read the full story and discover more hidden London history in our latest blog post:
🔗https://www.guidesoflondon.com/post/queen-elizabeth-i-mary-queen-of-scots

20/05/2026

Trooping the Colour returns to London!

Scarlet uniforms, gleaming horses, military bands and royal balcony moments — it’s one of London’s most spectacular traditions. 👑

Fun fact: the monarch has two birthdays — a real one and an official one, mostly because British weather and giant outdoor parades are not always the best combination. ☔️

Want the full experience without quite so many crowds? Londoners know the secret: the rehearsals are often just as impressive.

📅 2025 Dates
• Major General’s Review – 31 May
• Colonel’s Review – 7 June
• Trooping the Colour – 14 June

⚠️ Planning to see Changing of the Guard? Expect disruption around rehearsal and parade dates.

06/05/2026

But where is the castle?! 🏰

Castle Baynard Street is named after the building that once occupied a nearby site. Today, the site of the castle is occupied by the brutalist Baynard House.
So how did it go from a medieval fort to a James Bond filming location?

Read more on our new blog post:
https://www.guidesoflondon.com/post/exploring-the-secrets-of-hidden-city-at-castle-baynard-street

Exploring the Secrets of Hidden City at Castle Baynard Street

06/05/2026

But where is the castle?! 🏰

Castle Baynard Street is named after the building that once occupied a nearby site. Today, the site of the castle is occupied by the brutalist Baynard House.
So how did it go from a medieval fort to a James Bond filming location?

Read more on our blog post:
https://www.guidesoflondon.com/post/exploring-the-secrets-of-hidden-city-at-castle-baynard-street

21/03/2026

From Coffee House to Fleet Street; An Archive Evening Celebrating London’s Newspaper Legacy 📰

The City of London has always thrived on the exchange of information, from casual gossip to news of the politics of the day.

Join the Stationers for a celebration of this story, and discover some of the documents which shed light on it – all of them safely stored in the climate-controlled vault in the Tokefleld Centre at Stationers’ Hall.

Monday, 27 April 2026 - 18:00 until 20:45

For more details:

https://stationers.org/events/detail/6372

06/03/2026

Sunday 8 March is international Women’s Day.
Did you know that the tallest tower in the City of London was designed by a woman?
22 Bishopsgate is 278m tall and was designed with a holistic view. It also features the tallest viewing balcony in the country and the tallest free viewing balcony in Europe.

Read more here:
https://www.guidesoflondon.com/post/international-women-s-day-special-karen-cook-the-architect-behind-the-tallest-tower-in-thecity

04/03/2026

The City of London is fascinating. 2000 years of architecture, culture, finance, religion and more. Join us on one of our special tours in the City, see the extraordinary sites and hear stories about the Great Fire of London, the Blitz, Roman invasion, and ghosts 👻

See available walking tours here:
https://www.guidesoflondon.com/tours

03/03/2026

📣 What’s on in March?

Looking for something fun to do in London this month?

There’s loads!
From Hockney to flower trails, St Patrick’s Day celebrations and mesmerising cherry blossom 🌸

All details in our new blog post 👇🏻
Read more here:
https://www.guidesoflondon.com/post/what-s-on-what-to-do-in-london-in-march-spring-blooms-culture-celebration-with-guidesoflondon

26/02/2026

Have you been to Leake Street Tuunel?
It’s a roughly 300m road tunnel under Waterloo Station which became a famous London legal graffiti wall. The art is constantly changing and you’ll find many bars, food and events nearby.

21/02/2026

There are many quirky street names in the City of London that make us smile, think or raise an eyebrow.

C**k Lane, located near to Smithfield may have received its name from either being the location where chickens (mainly males ones) were reared, c**k fighting or the site of legal brothels during the Medieval period. It may well be all three.

Continue reading here:
https://www.guidesoflondon.com/post/a-street-called-c**k-lane

**klane